Otoacoustic emissions in a group of children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder: retrospective study

Abstract

Introduction: Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder is a hearing disorder with altered auditory nerve impulses conduction in the inner hair cells and / or the auditory nerve with cochlear function preserved. There is absence or alteration of the Auditory Evoked Potential Brain Stem with presence of Otoacoustic Emissions and cochlear microphonics. The aim of this study was to analyze the occurrence or nonoccurrence of Otoacoustic Emissions in a group of children with Auditory Neuropathy Spectrum Disorder, considering factors such as age, degree of hearing loss and etiology. Material and Method: Retrospective study of medical chart survey from patients in a university clinic in the last fi ve years. Results: There were 15 dossiers that fi t the inclusion criteria, 67% females and 33% males, with ages between 2 and 17 years old. It was observed that in both groups, with present Otoacoustic Emissions and with absent Otoacoustic Emissions, the ages were similar. The highest percentage of absent Otoacoustic Emissions was observed in the etiology of hyperbilirubinemia, with a lower occurrence of this phenomenon in cases of genetic origin and absence of this phenomenon in hereditary and idiopathic cases. Conclusions: The absence of Otoacoustic Emissions had no direct relationship with the age of the children neither with the degree of hearing loss, and a higher incidence of cases with absence of Otoacoustic Emissions was observed in children whose etiology of Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder was hyperbilirubinemia.